U.S. patent application number 11/538233 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-26 for image display apparatus.
Invention is credited to Kazutaka Inoguchi.
Application Number | 20070091447 11/538233 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37985073 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070091447 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Inoguchi; Kazutaka |
April 26, 2007 |
IMAGE DISPLAY APPARATUS
Abstract
An image display apparatus is disclosed, which is small and has
a wide view angle. The apparatus comprises an optical system which
introduces light beams from first and second image display elements
to first and second observation regions. The system has a
plane-symmetric structure whose plane of symmetry is a plane
passing between the first and second observation regions. The
system introduces the light beam from the first image display
element located in a first area with respect to the plane of
symmetry to the first observation region via a reflection on a
surface located in a second area after a reflection on a surface
located in the first area, and introduces the light beam from the
second image display element to the second observation region via a
reflection on a surface located in the first area after a
reflection on a surface located in the second area.
Inventors: |
Inoguchi; Kazutaka;
(Kawasaki-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MORGAN & FINNEGAN, L.L.P.
3 WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
NEW YORK
NY
10281-2101
US
|
Family ID: |
37985073 |
Appl. No.: |
11/538233 |
Filed: |
October 3, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
359/630 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02B 2027/0132 20130101;
G02B 17/0804 20130101; G02B 2027/0123 20130101; G02B 17/0605
20130101; G02B 27/0172 20130101; G02B 17/0856 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
359/630 |
International
Class: |
G02B 27/14 20060101
G02B027/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 3, 2005 |
JP |
2005-289873 |
Claims
1. An image display apparatus comprising: first and second image
display elements each of which displays an original image; and an
optical system which introduces light beams from the first and
second image display elements to first and second observation
regions, respectively, wherein the optical system has a
plane-symmetric structure whose plane of symmetry is a plane
passing between the first and second observation regions, the first
image display element and the first observation region being
located in a first area on one side with respect to the plane of
symmetry and the second image display element and the second
observation region being located in a second area on the other side
with respect to the plane of symmetry, the optical system
introduces the light beam from the first image display element to
the first observation region via a reflection on a reflecting
surface located in the second area after a reflection on a
reflecting surface located in the first area, and the optical
system introduces the light beam from the second image display
element to the second observation region via a reflection on a
reflecting surface located in the first area after a reflection on
a reflecting surface located in the second area.
2. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
optical system includes: a pair of first reflecting surfaces which
are located in the first and second areas and reflect the light
beams from the first and second image display elements,
respectively; a pair of second reflecting surfaces which are
located in the second and first areas and reflect the light beams
from the first reflecting surfaces located in the first and second
areas, respectively; and a pair of third reflecting surfaces which
are located in the first and second areas and reflect the light
beams from the second reflecting surfaces located in the second and
first areas to the first and second observation regions,
respectively.
3. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
optical system includes a pair of fourth reflecting surfaces which
are located in the second and first areas and reflect the light
beams from the second reflecting surfaces located in the second and
first areas to the third reflecting surfaces located in the first
and second areas, respectively.
4. The image display apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the
second reflecting surface reflects the light beam from the first
reflecting surface to the first reflecting surface again, and the
light beam again reflected proceeds toward the third reflecting
surface.
5. The image display apparatus according to claim 1t wherein the
first and second image display elements are located at positions
symmetric with respect to the plane of symmetry.
6. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
distance from the plane of symmetry to each of the first and second
image display elements is longer than the distance from the plane
of symmetry to each of the first and second observation
regions.
7. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
optical system has a plane-symmetric shape with respect to a plane
orthogonal to the plane of symmetry.
8. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
optical system forms an intermediate real image in the optical
system.
9. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
optical system includes plural reflecting surfaces, and at least
two of the plural reflecting surfaces are decentered reflecting
surfaces.
10. The image display apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the
optical system includes plural reflecting surfaces, and the plural
reflecting surfaces include at least one concave reflecting surface
and one convex reflecting surface.
11. An image display system comprising: the image display apparatus
according to claim 1; and an image information supply apparatus
which supplies image information to the image display apparatus.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to image display apparatuses
which provide an image displayed on an image display element such
as an liquid crystal display element (liquid crystal panel) to an
observer through an optical system. The image display apparatuses
are especially suitable for head mounted displays (HMDs).
[0002] The HMD needs to increase realistic sensation by widening
the view angle while reducing its size. In addition, considering
the weight balance of the HMD, reduction of the thickness of the
HMD is desired.
[0003] Increasing the size of the liquid crystal panel is
preferable for responding the requirement for a wider view angle.
However, enlarging the panel increases the cost of the HMD. To
achieve a wider view angle by using a small panel, intermediate
image-forming optical system which forms an intermediate real image
of an original image displayed on the panel and provides an
enlarged virtual image of the intermediate image to an observer is
preferable to an optical system without forming an intermediate
real image. However, the once-image-forming optical system includes
a lot of components and its optical path length is long, so that
the HMD generally is heavy and large.
[0004] An HMD designed to have a wide view angle and a small size
has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-149593
(corresponding to EP1312968A1). In this HMD, a shuttle optical path
is formed by using a returning reflecting surface and decentered
reflecting surfaces located anterior and posterior to the returning
reflecting surface to form a long optical path which is needed for
once image formation in a small optical system.
[0005] In addition, the HMD needs to provide a good appearance of
an observer wearing it on his/her head. Especially when the
observer wearing an HMD is seen from the front, an HMD having a
thin and horizontally long shape provides a better impression if
the HMD has the same projected area as that of other ones.
[0006] For example, when an observer shown in FIG. 7A wears an HMD
on his head, the observer wearing an HMD having a vertically short
and horizontally long shape as shown in FIG. 7C looks better than
the observer wearing an HMD having a vertically long and
horizontally short shape as shown in FIG. 7B. To construct such a
horizontally long HMD, using a horizontally-folded optical system
in which plural decentered reflective surfaces (the decentering
directions thereof) are arranged in the horizontal direction of the
face has an advantage over using an optical system in which the
reflecting surfaces are arranged in the vertical direction of the
face.
[0007] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-341324 has disclosed a
horizontally-folded optical system which uses the shuttle optical
path formed with the returning reflecting surface disclosed in
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-149593. Japanese Patent
Laid-Open No. 2004-341324 has disclosed in its embodiment an
optical system in which a reflecting surface is located between an
optical element that forms the shuttle optical path and an image
display element and in which optical paths for right and left eyes
intersect with each other between the image display element and the
reflecting surface and between the reflecting surface and the
optical element.
[0008] The optical system disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open
No. 2004-341324 makes it possible to construct a horizontally long
HMD. However, its thickness to the front of the observer is not
sufficiently reduced.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide an image
display apparatus which is smaller in size (thinner) than
conventional ones and has a wide view angle.
[0010] According to an aspect, the present invention provides an
image display apparatus that comprises first and second image
display elements each of which displays an original image, and an
optical system which introduces light beams from the first and
second image display elements to first and second observation
regions, respectively. The optical system has a plane-symmetric
structure whose plane of symmetry is a plane passing between the
first and second observation regions, the first image display
element and the first observation region being located in a first
area on one side with respect to the plane of symmetry and the
second image display element and the second observation region
being located in a second area on the other side with respect to
the plane of symmetry. The optical system introduces the light beam
from the first image display element to the first observation
region via a reflection on a reflecting surface located in the
second area after a reflection on a reflecting surface located in
the first area. Further, the optical system introduces the light
beam from the second image display element to the second
observation region via a reflection on a reflecting surface located
in the first area after a reflection on a reflecting surface
located in the second area.
[0011] According to another aspect, the present invention provides
an image display system that comprises the above image display
apparatus and an image information supply apparatus.
[0012] Other objects and features of the present invention will
become readily apparent from the following description of the
preferred embodiments with reference to accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a top cross sectional view showing the
configuration of the HMD that is Embodiment 1 of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a top cross sectional view showing the optical
path of the central view angle principal ray in Embodiment 1.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a top cross sectional view showing the
intermediate image formation position in Embodiment 1.
[0016] FIG. 4 is a top cross sectional view showing the
configuration of the HMD that is Embodiment 2 of the present
invention.
[0017] FIG. 5 is a top cross sectional view showing the optical
paths of the principal rays in Embodiment 2.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a top cross sectional view showing the
intermediate image formation position in Embodiment 2.
[0019] FIGS. 7A to 7C are figures for explaining an impression of
an observer wearing an HMD when he/she is seen from the front.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention
will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Embodiment 1
[0021] FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the HMD as an image
display apparatus that is Embodiment 1 of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a top view of the HMD.
[0022] In FIG. 1, 1 denotes a liquid crystal display element
(hereinafter referred to as an LCD) that is an image display
element for a left eye EL of an observer. 2 denotes decentered
reflecting curved surfaces for the left eye EL, which are
constituted by four mirrors SL1, SL2, SL3 and SL4. 3 denotes a lens
which condenses a light beam from the LCD 1. These decentered
reflecting curved surfaces 2 and lens 3 constitute a left-eye
optical system.
[0023] 1' denotes an LCD that is an image display element for a
right eye ER. 2' denotes decentered reflecting curved surfaces for
the left eye ER of the observer, which are constituted by four
mirrors SR1, SR2, SR3 and SR4. 3' denotes a lens which condenses a
light beam from the LCD 1'. These decentered reflecting curved
surfaces 2' and lens 3' constitute a right-eye optical system.
[0024] SCL and SCR denote the centers of exit pupils (hereinafter
each referred to as the exit pupil center) which are formed by the
left-eye and right-eye optical systems, respectively.
[0025] C denotes a plane which passes through the center of a line
segment that connects the exit pupil center SCL of the left-eye
optical system with the exit pupil center SCR of the right-eye
optical system, the plane being orthogonal to the line segment. The
left-eye and right-eye optical systems as well as the image display
surfaces of the LCDs 1 and 1' are arranged plane-symmetrically with
respect to the plane C that is the plane of symmetry.
[0026] In addition, in this embodiment, the mirror (reflecting
surface) SL2 of the left-eye optical system and the mirror
(reflecting surface) SR4 of the right-eye optical system are formed
on one surface, and the mirror (reflecting surface) SL4 of the
left-eye optical system and the mirror (reflecting surface) SR2 of
the right-eye optical system are formed on one surface.
[0027] The HMD of this embodiment includes a driving circuit 100
which drives the LCDs 1 and 1'. An image information supply
apparatus 110, such as a personal computer, a DVD player and a
television tuner, is connected to the driving circuit 100. The
driving circuit 100 causes the LCDs 1 and 1' to display an original
image according to image information input from the image
information supply apparatus 110. The HMD and the image information
supply apparatus 110 constitute an image display system. This is
the same for another embodiment described later.
[0028] The optical path in the left-eye optical system will be
described first. The light beam from the LCD 1 located on the
left-eye side with respect to the plane C (in other words, located
in a left-eye-side area that is a first area) is condensed by the
lens 3 and then enters a space surrounded by the four mirrors SL1
to SL4. The light beam that entered the space is reflected by the
mirror (first reflecting surface) SL4 located on the left-eye side
with respect to the plane C to proceed toward the mirror (second
reflecting mirror) SL3 located on the right-eye side with respect
to the plane C (in other words, located in a right-eye-side area
that is a second area).
[0029] The light beam reflected by the mirror SL3 is reflected by
the mirror (fourth reflecting surface) SL2 located on the right-eye
side with respect to the plane C to proceed toward the mirror
(third reflecting mirror) SL1 located on the left-eye side with
respect to the plane C.
[0030] The light beam reflected by the mirror SL1 forms the exit
pupil and is introduced to the left eye EL of the observer, the
left eye EL being placed in a left observation region which
includes the position of the exit pupil and the vicinity thereof.
An enlarged image of the original image displayed on the LCD 1
thereby is provided to the left eye EL of the observer.
[0031] On the other hand, the light beam from the LCD 1' located on
the right-eye side with respect to the plane C is condensed by the
lens 3' and then enters a space surrounded by the four mirrors SR1
to SR4.
[0032] The light beam that entered the space is reflected by the
mirror (first reflecting surface) SR4 located on the right-eye side
with respect to the plane C to proceed toward the mirror (second
reflecting mirror) SR3 located on the left-eye side with respect to
the plane C. The light beam reflected by the mirror SR3 is
reflected by the mirror (fourth reflecting surface) SR2 located on
the left-eye side with respect to the plane C to proceed toward the
mirror (third reflecting mirror) SR1 located on the right-eye side
with respect to the plane C.
[0033] The light beam reflected by the mirror SR1 forms the exit
pupil and is introduced to the right eye ER of the observer, the
right eye EL being placed in a right observation region which
includes the position of the exit pupil and the vicinity thereof.
An enlarged image of the original image displayed on the LCD 1'
thereby is provided to the right eye ER of the observer.
[0034] As described above, the left-eye and right-eye optical
systems have a plane-symmetrical shape with respect to the plane C,
so that an optical path for the left eye and an optical path for
the right eye are plane-symmetrical with respect to the plane C.
Therefore, only the left-eye optical system will hereinafter be
described in detail.
[0035] FIG. 2 shows a central view angle principal ray which exits
from the center of the display surface of the LCD 1 and then
reaches the exit pupil center SCL. In FIG. 2, a straight line
formed by intersection of the paper of the figure and the plane C
is defined as the z-axis. On the z-axis the direction substantially
opposite to a direction in which the central view angle principal
ray enters the left eye EL is defined as the positive
direction.
[0036] In addition, a straight line passing through the left and
right exit pupil centers SCL and SCR is defined as the y-axis. On
the y-axis the direction toward the left exit pupil from the right
exit pupil is defined as the positive direction. Further, a
straight line orthogonal to the y- and z-axes is defined as the
x-axis. On the x-axis a direction toward the back of the paper of
the figure is defined as the positive direction such that a
right-hand system is formed. The intersection of the y-axis with
the plane C is defined as the origin (0, 0, 0).
[0037] The optical path in the z-axis direction will be described
first. In the following description, the mirror is referred to as
the `surface (or reflecting surface or optical surface)`.
[0038] The light beam that exited from the LCD 1 is reflected by
the surface SL4 to proceed in the z-positive direction, introduced
to the surface SL3 and then reflected by the surface SL3 to proceed
in the z-negative direction. Further, the light beam is reflected
by the surface SL2 to proceed in the z-positive direction,
reflected by the surface SL1 to proceed in the z-negative direction
and then reaches the left eye EL. Folding the optical path in a
zig-zag manner like this makes it possible to reduce the thickness
of the optical system in the z-axis direction.
[0039] Next, the optical path in the y-axis direction will be
described. The light beam that exited from the LCD 1 located on the
left-eye side with respect to the plane C, that is, on the
y-positive side is reflected by the surface SL4 to proceed toward
the surface SL3 located on the right-eye side, that is, on the
y-negative side and then returned to the y-positive side by a
reflection on the surface SL2 located on the y-negative side. The
light beam then is reflected by the surface SL1 located on the
y-positive side to reach the left-eye EL placed on the y-positive
side.
[0040] In this embodiment, the LCD 1 is located at a position
further on the y-positive side than the exit pupil center (0, ysc,
0) of the left-eye optical system. That is, the distance from the
plane C to the LCD 1 is longer than that from the plane C to the
exit pupil center SCL. Moreover, the surface SL3, which has a role
to cause the light beam proceeding in the y-negative direction to
return such that the light beam proceeds in the y-positive
direction, is located at a position further on the y-negative side
than the exit pupil center (0, -ysc, 0) of the right-eye optical
system. These make it possible to ensure an extremely longer
optical path length than that in conventional optical systems.
[0041] In addition, these make it possible to reduce optical powers
of the optical surfaces required for providing an enlarged virtual
image of the original image displayed on the LCD 1 to the left eye
EL, thereby facilitating an improvement of the optical performance
of the optical system.
[0042] Especially in the configuration in which the optical path is
laid out in the direction connecting the left and right eyes like
this embodiment, it is difficult to make an optical path length
longer than the inter pupillary distance 2.times.ysc. However, this
embodiment ensures an optical path length longer than the inter
pupillary distance 2.times.ysc in the optical system located in
front of the observers' face as described above to facilitate an
improvement of the optical performance.
[0043] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the surface SL3 which
returns the light beam proceeding in the y-negative direction to
the y-positive direction is located at a position which is on the
y-negative side and folds the optical path in a zig-zag manner in
the z-axis direction, thereby achieving a small-sized optical
system that is thin in the view axis direction (that is, the z-axis
direction) while it has a long optical path length. This makes it
possible to ensure an extremely long optical path length even
though the optical system is small in size.
[0044] Such a configuration of the optical system facilitates
forming an intermediate real image of the original image displayed
on the LCD 1 in the optical path of the optical system. Forming an
intermediate real image makes it possible to arbitrarily determine
the relationship between the optical power of each surface and the
shape of the optical path, thereby increasing the freedom degree of
arrangement of the optical surfaces. Accordingly, it is easy to
widen the view angle for observation of the image with respect to
the size of the original image, thereby making it possible to
provide an impressive image with high realistic sensation to the
observer.
[0045] Next, the intermediate image in this embodiment will be
described with reference to FIG. 3. The intersection of rays that
exit from the center of the display surface (that is, the original
image) and then reach the both ends of the effective exit pupil on
the cross section shown in FIG. 3 is defined as an intermediate
image formation position. In this embodiment, it is preferable to
form the intermediate image between the surface SL1 that is a
decentered reflecting curved surface and the surface SL2. This is
because it becomes easy to reduce the effective size of the surface
SL2.
[0046] However, this does not mean that the intermediate image
formation position is limited to the position between the surfaces
SL1 and SL2 in the present invention. The intermediate image may be
formed at a position between the surfaces SL2 and SL3. In other
words, the intermediate image formation position may be located
substantially between the surfaces SL1 and SL3.
[0047] In addition, an intermediate pupil image formation position
is also important for making the size of the optical system as
small as possible. A point where rays that exit from the ends of
the display surface to reach the exit pupil center intersect with
each other in the middle of the optical path on the cross section
shown in FIG. 1 is defined as the intermediate pupil image
formation position.
[0048] In FIG. 1, the intermediate pupil image formation position
is located in the optical path from the surface SL3 that is a
returning reflecting surface to the surface SL2. In particular,
locating the intermediate pupil image formation position at a
position closer to the surface SL3 than to the surface SL2 makes it
possible to reduce the size of the effective aperture of the
returning reflecting surface SL3, which is more preferable.
[0049] Although the intermediate pupil image formation position is
not limited in the present invention, it is preferable that the
intermediate pupil image formation position is located at a
position anterior or posterior to the returning reflecting surface
SL3 in view of reduction of the size of the optical system.
[0050] Next, the condition for the reflection on the surface SL3
will be described in detail. The surface SL3 performs a reflection
such that the impinging ray and the reflected ray form an acute
angle.
[0051] Satisfying this condition overlaps the optical path of the
light beam proceeding to the surface SL3 and the optical path of
the light beam reflected by the surface SL3 in the area that is
surrounded by the plural reflecting surfaces to reduce the size of
the optical system.
[0052] Focusing attention on the central view angle principal ray,
it is preferable that the angle .theta. formed by the ray impinging
on the surface SL3 and the ray reflected by the surface SL3 be
smaller than 40 degrees.
[0053] In the area surrounded by the plural reflecting surfaces,
the central view angle principal ray in the optical path extending
to the position where an intermediate image is formed in the relay
optical system intersects with the central view angle principal ray
in the optical path extending from the intermediate image to the
pupil in the eye-piece optical system.
[0054] Overlapping the optical paths anterior and posterior to the
surface SL3 as described above makes it possible to reduce the size
of the optical system. It is more preferable that the angle .theta.
formed by the ray impinging on the surface SL3 and the ray
reflected by the surface SL3 be smaller than 20 degrees. This
increases the degree of overlap of the optical paths, which is more
effective for reducing the size of the optical system.
[0055] In the optical system of this embodiment, since the
decentering direction of each reflecting surface is only one
direction with respect to the central view angle principal ray, it
is preferable to form each reflecting surface such that it has a
plane-symmetric shape with respect to a plane (paper plane of FIGS.
1 to 3) including the central view angle principal ray. This makes
it possible to use common components for constituting the left-eye
and right-eye optical systems.
[0056] Furthermore, it is preferable to form each reflecting
surface such that it has a rotationally asymmetric shape, which is
symmetric only with respect to the yz cross section shown in FIG.
2. This is because a rotationally asymmetric aberration caused by
the decentered reflecting curved surfaces SL1 to SL4 can be
corrected and a high quality image thereby can be provided.
[0057] In this embodiment, since the surface SL1 has a higher
degree of decentering (that is, the surface SL1 tilts larger with
respect to the central view angle principal ray) and a higher
refracting power than the surface SL3, a large rotationally
asymmetric aberration is generated by the surface SL1. Therefore,
it is preferable to make the shape of the surface SL1 rotationally
asymmetric to suppress generation of the rotationally asymmetric
aberration.
[0058] Although increasing the number of the rotationally
asymmetric surfaces facilitates an improvement of the optical
performance, it is not necessarily necessary to make all surfaces
rotationally asymmetric.
[0059] The component having the surfaces SL2 and SL4 may be
separate components or may be formed as an integrated component.
Also, the component having the surfaces SL1 and SR1 may be separate
components or may be formed as an integrated component. Further,
the surfaces SR3, SL1, SR1 and SL3 may be formed on a single
component. Forming the plural reflecting surfaces on a single
component can reduce the numbers of components and assembling
processes.
[0060] In addition, in view of the symmetry of the left-eye and
right-eye optical systems, it is natural that the surfaces SL2 and
SL4 are formed on a single component. The effective part of each of
the surfaces SL2 and SL4 may not have a rotationally symmetric
shape and may have a rotationally symmetric aspheric shape with
respect to the z-axis.
[0061] Moreover, each of the surfaces SL2 and SL4 may be a
spherical surface. Using such a component having rotational
symmetry reduces the cost of the optical system though the effect
to correct the asymmetric aberration reduces.
[0062] Although the lens 3 is formed as a single lens in this
embodiment, it may be formed by plural lenses, combination of a
lens and a mirror, or the like. Forming the lens 3 by plural lenses
reduces the optical power of each surface, which makes it possible
to suppress an aberration generated by each surface and to improve
the optical performance by, for example, obtaining an achromatic
effect by the plural lenses including a concave lens.
[0063] Although the decentered reflecting surfaces include concave
mirrors in this embodiment, it is preferable to employ a
configuration which further includes at least one convex mirror.
The configuration of this embodiment includes the concave mirrors
SL1 and SL3 and the convex mirror SL2 and SL4 to reduce the Petzval
sum generated by the decentered reflecting surfaces and negates it
by the lens 3.
[0064] The above description with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3 is the
same for the right-eye optical system.
Embodiment 2
[0065] FIG. 4 shows the configuration of the HMD as an image
display apparatus that is Embodiment 2 of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a top view of the HMD. In FIG. 4, the components in this
embodiment which are similar to those in Embodiment 1 are
designated with the same reference numerals as those in Embodiment
1, and the description thereof is omitted.
[0066] This embodiment differs from Embodiment 1 in that four
surfaces SL1, SL2, SL3 and SL4 are formed on prisms 21 and 22 and
four surfaces SR1, SR2, SR3 and SR4 are formed on prisms 21 and
22'. This embodiment also differs from Embodiment 1 in that the
surfaces SL1 and SL3 and the surfaces SR1 and SR3 are surfaces for
reflection and transmission.
[0067] Further, the prism 21 is shared by left-eye and right-eye
optical systems, and the surfaces SL1, SR1, SL2, SR2, SL3 and SR3
are formed on the prism 21. The prisms 21 and 22 are cemented at
the surface SL3, and the prisms 21 and 22' are cemented at the
surface SR3.
[0068] Moreover, in this embodiment the left-eye and right-eye
optical systems are symmetric with respect to a plane C, so that
only the optical path and optical function of the left-eye optical
system will hereinafter be described.
[0069] The light beam from an LCD 1 located on the left-eye side
with respect to the plane C (in other words, located in a
left-eye-side area that is a first area) is condensed by a lens 3
and introduced to the prism 22. The light beam that entered the
prism 22 through a transmitting surface SL5 enters a region
surrounded by the four decentered reflecting curved surfaces SL1 to
SL4. The light beam that entered the region is reflected by the
surface SL4 located on the left-eye side with respect to the plane
C and then enters the prism 21 through the cemented surface SL3
that is a half-mirror surface.
[0070] The light beam that entered the prism 21 impinges on the
surface (first reflecting surface) SL1 located on the left-eye side
with respect to the plane C at an incident angle of sin.sup.-1
(1/n) or more when n represents the refractive index of the medium
of the prism 21 and sin.sup.-1 (1/n) represents the critical angle.
Thereby, the light beam is subjected to an internal total
reflection on the surface SL1 and then proceeds toward the surface
(second reflecting surface) SL2 located on the right-eye side with
respect to the plane C (in other words, located in a right-eye-side
area that is a second area).
[0071] The light beam reflected by the surface SL2 and retuned to
the left-eye side with respect to the plane C is subjected to an
internal total reflection on the surface SL1 again by impinging
thereon at an incident angle of sin.sup.-1 (1/n) or more and then
proceeds toward the surface (third reflecting surface) SL3. The
light beam reflected by the half-mirror surface SL3 impinges on the
surface SL1 at an incident angle smaller than sin.sup.-1 (1/n) to
exit from the prism 21 and then is introduced to a left eye EL of
an observer.
[0072] As shown in FIG. 5, plural principal rays that exited from
plural points on the LCD 1 form the exit pupil of the left-eye
optical system centering on the position (exit pupil center) SCL.
Thereby, an enlarged image of an original image displayed on the
LCD 1 is provided to the left eye EL of the observer which is
placed in a left observation region including the position of the
exit pupil and the vicinity thereof.
[0073] In FIG. 4, the x-, y- and z-axes are defined similarly to
those in Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 2.
[0074] The optical path in the z-axis direction will be described
first. The light beam that exited from the LCD 1 and proceeded in
the z-positive direction is transmitted through the surface SL5 and
then reflected by the surface SL4 to proceed in the z-negative
direction.
[0075] The light beam that proceeded in the z-negative direction is
transmitted through the surface SL3 to proceed in the z-negative
direction, reflected by the surface SL1 to proceed in the
z-positive direction and then reaches the surface SL2. The light
beam is reflected by the SL2 such that its proceeding direction is
changed to the z-negative direction and then reaches the surface
SL1 again.
[0076] The light beam is reflected by the surface SL1 to proceed in
the z-positive direction again, reflected by the surface SL3 to
proceed in the z-negative direction and then reaches the left eye
EL. Folding the optical path in a zig-zag manner like this makes it
possible to reduce the thickness of the optical system.
[0077] Next, the optical path in the y-axis direction will be
described. The light beam that exited from the LCD 1 located on the
left-eye side with respect to the plane C, that is, on the
y-positive side proceeds in the y-negative direction to reach the
surface SL2 located on the right-eye side with respect to the plane
C, that is, on the y-negative side via a reflection on the surface
SL4, a transmission through the surface SL3 and a reflection on the
surface SL1. During this proceeding, the proceeding direction that
is the y-negative direction is maintained.
[0078] The light beam is reflected by the surface SL2 such that its
proceeding direction is changed to the y-positive direction and
then returned to the y-positive side with respected to the plane C.
The light beam that returned to the y-positive side is reflected by
the surface SL1 located on the y-positive side without a change of
its proceeding direction that is the y-positive direction. Further,
the light beam is reflected by the surface SL3 such that the
y-component of the proceeding direction becomes substantially zero
and then reaches the left eye EL placed on the y-positive side.
[0079] Also in this embodiment, the LCD 1 is located at a position
further on the y-positive side than the exit pupil center (0, ysc,
0) of the left-eye optical system. That is, the distance from the
plane C to the LCD 1 is longer than that from the plane C to the
exit pupil center SCL. This makes it possible to form an extremely
long optical path in the optical system. In addition, this makes it
possible to reduce optical powers of the optical surfaces required
for providing an enlarged virtual image of the original image
displayed on the LCD 1 to the left eye EL, thereby facilitating an
improvement of the optical performance of the optical system.
[0080] Moreover, the surface SL2, which has a role to cause the
light beam proceeding in the y-negative direction to return such
that the light beam proceeds in the y-positive direction, is
located at a position which is on the y-negative side and folds the
optical path in a zig-zag manner (in other words, the position
which causes the light beam to alternately proceed to the
z-positive and z-negative directions) Thereby, a small-sized
optical system that is thin in the view axis direction (z-axis
direction) is achieved.
[0081] Such a configuration of the optical system facilitates
forming an intermediate real image of the original image displayed
on the LCD 1 in the optical path of the optical system. Forming an
intermediate real image makes it possible to arbitrarily determine
the relationship between the optical power of each surface and the
shape of the optical path, thereby increasing the freedom degree of
arrangement of the optical surfaces. Accordingly, it becomes easy
to widen the view angle for observation of the image with respect
to the size of the original image, thereby making it possible to
provide an impressive image with high realistic sensation to the
observer in comparison with the size of the optical system.
[0082] This embodiment has the surface SL2 which reflects rays
reflected by the surface SL1 toward the surface SL1 again. The
central view angle principal ray that impinged again on the surface
SL1 is reflected thereon and proceeds toward an opposite side to
the previous reflection with respect to a normal on the hit point
of the central view angle principal ray on the surface SL1. This
makes it possible to shuttle the rays between the surfaces SL1 and
SL2 to substantially overlap the optical paths therebetween.
Consequently, a long optical path length can be ensured in the
small-sized optical system. Therefore, display of images with a
wide view angle can be realized with the small-sized LCD 1.
[0083] Next, the intermediate image in this embodiment will be
described with reference to FIG. 6. As in Embodiment 1, the
intersection of rays that exit from the center of the display
surface (that is, the original image) and then reach the both ends
of the effective exit pupil on the cross section shown in FIG. 6 is
defined as an intermediate image formation position. In this
embodiment, the intermediate image is formed in the optical path
from the surface SL2 to the surface SL1 that is a decentered
reflecting curved surface. This is because it becomes easy to
reduce the effective size of the surface SL2.
[0084] However, this does not mean that the intermediate image
formation position is limited to the position between the surfaces
SL1 and SL2 in the present invention. Although it is preferable
that an intermediate pupil image formation position is located in
the optical path from the surface SL4 to the surface SL1, the
intermediate pupil image formation position in the present
invention is not limited thereto.
[0085] To reduce the size of the returning reflecting surface SL2,
it is preferable that an intermediate pupil image formation is
performed in the optical path anterior to the surface SL2 and an
intermediate image formation is performed in the optical path
posterior to the surface SL2 to balance a pupil light beam and an
object light beam.
[0086] Next, the condition for the reflection on the surface SL2
will be described in detail. The surface SL2 performs a reflection
such that the impinging ray and the reflected ray overlap with each
other or form an acute angle. Satisfying this condition overlaps
the optical path of the light beam proceeding to the surface SL3
and the optical path of the light beam reflected by the surface SL3
in the area surrounded by the plural reflecting surfaces to reduce
the size of the optical system.
[0087] Focusing attention on the central view angle principal ray,
it is preferable that the angle .theta. formed by the ray impinging
on the surface SL2, which is a returning reflecting surface, and
the ray reflected by the surface SL2 be smaller than 40
degrees.
[0088] In this case, in the prism 21, the central view angle
principal ray in the optical path extending to the position where
an intermediate image is formed in the relay optical system
intersects with the central view angle principal ray in the optical
path extending from the intermediate image to the pupil.
[0089] Overlapping the optical paths anterior and posterior to the
surface SL2 as described above makes it possible to reduce the size
of the optical system. It is more preferable that the angle .theta.
formed by the ray impinging on the surface SL2 and the ray
reflected by the surface SL2 be smaller than 20 degrees.
[0090] On the other hand, in a case where the ray impinging on the
surface SL3 and the ray reflected by the surface SL3 overlap with
each other, the optical path of the central view angle principal
ray that entered the prism 21 from the surface SL3 and that
proceeds to the surface SL2 via a reflection on the surface SL1
perfectly overlaps with the optical path of the central view angle
principal ray that proceeds from the surface SL2 to the surface SL3
via a reflection on the surface SL1. In this case, the surface SL3
is not a surface decentering with respect to the central view angle
principal ray. However, that is allowable in this embodiment.
[0091] In the optical system of this embodiment, since the
decentering direction of the central view angle principal ray and
each reflecting surface is only one direction, it is preferable to
form each reflecting surface such that it has a plane-symmetric
shape with respect to a plane (paper plane of FIGS. 4 to 6)
including the central view angle principal ray. This makes it
possible to use common components as the prisms 22 and 22'.
[0092] Furthermore, it is preferable to form each reflecting
surface such that it has a rotationally asymmetric shape, which is
symmetric only with respect to the yz cross section shown in FIG.
4. This is because a rotationally asymmetric aberration caused by
the decentered reflecting curved surfaces SL1 to SL4 can be
corrected and a high quality image thereby can be provided.
[0093] The prism 21 may be formed as a single-piece component
having the surfaces SL1 to SL3 or may be formed as a component made
by combination of plural blocks. In addition, in view of the
symmetry of the left-eye and right-eye optical systems, the
effective part of each of the surfaces SL2 and SR2 and the surfaces
SL1 and SR1 may not have a rotationally symmetric shape or may have
a rotationally symmetric aspheric shape with respect to the z-axis.
Moreover, each of these surfaces may be a spherical surface. Using
such a component having rotational symmetry reduces the cost of the
optical system though the effect to correct the asymmetric
aberration reduces. This is the same for the other surfaces.
[0094] However, in this embodiment, since the surface SL3 has a
high degree of decentering and a high optical power, a large
rotationally asymmetric aberration is generated by the surface SL3.
Therefore, it is especially preferable to make the shape of the
surface SL1 rotationally asymmetric to suppress generation of the
rotationally asymmetric aberration. Increasing the number of the
rotationally asymmetric surfaces facilitates an improvement of the
optical performance.
[0095] Although a case where the prism 21 and the prisms 22 and 22'
were combined with each other to form one integrated component was
described in this embodiment, the present invention is not limited
thereto. The prisms 21, 22 and 22' can be separated from each
other. The separation thereof has an advantage for correcting
aberrations because the number of the optical surfaces increases by
one. On the other hand, the integration of the prisms 21, 22 and
22' reduces the number of assembling processes by, for example,
eliminating a position adjustment of the prisms in the final
assembling process.
[0096] Further, although the description was made of a case where
two internal total reflections on the surface SL1 were made by the
light beam impinging thereon at the incident angle equal to or more
than the critical angle in this embodiment, the present invention
is not limited thereto. A reflection and a transmission may be
performed by using a half-mirror, for example. However, using the
internal total reflections as described above reduces a loss of a
light amount, thereby facilitating achievement of a bright optical
system.
[0097] Moreover, although the lens 3 is formed as a single lens in
this embodiment, it may be formed by a concave mirror, plural
lenses, combination of a lens and a mirror, or the like. Forming
the lens 3 by plural lenses reduces the optical power of each
surface, which makes it possible to suppress aberrations generated
by each surface and to improve the optical performance by, for
example, obtaining an achromatic effect by the plural lenses
including a concave lens.
[0098] Furthermore, the lens 3 can be eliminated by increasing the
optical powers of the refracting surface SL5 and reflecting surface
SL4 described in this embodiment.
[0099] Although the decentered reflecting surfaces include concave
surfaces in this embodiment, it is preferable to employ a
configuration which further includes at least one convex surface.
The configuration of this embodiment includes the concave surfaces
SL2, SL3 and SL4 and the convex surface SL1 to reduce the Petzval
sum generated by the decentered reflecting surfaces and negates it
by the lens 3. Thereby, it is possible to provide an image with
little field curvature.
[0100] The above description with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6 is the
same for the right-eye optical system.
[0101] As described above, according to each of the embodiments,
the light beam from the image display element located on the right
side with respect to the plane of symmetry (that is, located in the
right-eye-side area) is reflected by the reflecting surface located
on the right side, reflected by the reflecting surface located on
the left side (that is, located in the left-eye-side area) and then
introduced to the right observation region.
[0102] On the other hand, the light beam from the image display
element located on the left side with respect to the plane of
symmetry is reflected by the reflecting surface located on the left
side, reflected by the reflecting surface located on the right side
and then introduced to the left observation region.
[0103] Employing such an optical system makes it possible to
realize a thin image display apparatus having a long optical path
length which is needed for widening the view angle.
[0104] While preferred embodiments have been described, it is to be
understood that modification and variation of the present invention
may be made without departing from scope of the following
claims.
[0105] This application claims foreign priority benefits based on
Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-289873, filed on Oct. 3, 2005,
which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety as
if fully set forth herein.
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